Taiwanese, fattest in Asia: health department
Staff Reporter 2012-11-18 15:41
A nurse weighs a man weigh at a hospital in Taiwan. (Photo/Feng Hui-yi)
It's official: Taiwanese people are Asia's heaviest, so says the nation's health department, Taiwan's Commercial Times reports.
The obesity rate in Taiwan for males is 19.2% of the population and 16.6 % for females, said Chiou Shu-ti, director of Bureau Health Promotion under the Department of Health, at an international health conference in Taipei on Nov. 15. The figure is far higher than is found in Singapore, Thailand or Malaysia, where average obesity rates for males are 6.4%, 4.7% and 4% of the population respectively.
"Although Taiwan does better than the West, the country needs to be worried because obesity is one of the risk factors for non-communicable diseases," said Chiou, illness including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers, and chronic respiratory diseases, which account for 80% of all deaths in Taiwan.
The reason for Taiwan's obesity issue may come from the people's lack of exercise. About 68% of males and 79% of females don't get at least 30 minutes exercises three times a week, according to Chiou.
Food in Taiwan, such as traditional night markets snacks, quick microwavable meals available form 24-hour conveniences stores, and milk tea with tapioca balls, have also contributed to the people's growing rate of obesity, said the Jakarta Post website.
Taiwanese eat many of their meals outside the home and prefer eating out to other leisure activities, according to a survey conducted by MasterCard last year, the news website said.
